1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to gas separation devices and in particular to collector electrode assemblies for electrostatic precipitators.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes a variety of modular or unitized collector electrode assemblies for electrostatic precipitators. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,605 discloses a modular electrode assembly having a plurality of laterally adjacent collecting electrodes interconnected to form a collector wall extending along the direction of gas flow in an electrical precipitator. Other modularized collector wall arrangements have provided for a plurality of adjacent electrode panels supported to accommodate relative lateral movement between adjacent panels during rapping or collector cleaning operations. However, in the case of particularly large panels such as those necessary for the precipitators used in electrical utilities, modularized collector walls of this type are often damaged during shipment, are difficult to assemble in the field, and are susceptable to bowing and warping which results in misalignment of the collector wall within the precipitator.